Jack Della Maddalena's head coach makes bold prediction for Islam Makhachev fight

Newly crowned UFC welterweight champion Jack Della Maddalena was three days into his championship reign when his next opponent was named. Della Maddalena will face former lightweight champion Islam Makhachev later this year.

Makhachev vacated the 155-pound championship to move up to the welterweight division to pursue becoming a two-division UFC titleholder. Della Maddalena's coach, Ben Vickers, thinks it's 'cool' that "JDM" gets to take on the top pound-for-pound fighter.  

"It looks like Jack's about to be pound-for-pound No. 1," Vickers told Submission Radio. "I've always been a guy that will take the next fight. With Jack, I don't care who that next person is because I know he'll beat him.

"I think it's cool. It gives us the opportunity to have that scrap. He's pound-for-pound No. 1, so if I think Jack's the best in the world then he should be able to beat that guy."

A fight between Makhachev and Della Maddalena has been signed but it's clear the fight promotion plans on booking the match. When the two eventually do face off inside the octagon, Vickers believes Della Maddalena will knock Makhachev out.

"I had a lot of time on my hands in the last x-amount of hours coming back from Canada and I watched a bit of footage on Makhachev, in particular the [Dustin] Poirier fight," Vickers said. "I've never watched Makhachev before as a potential opponent. I've always just enjoyed him fighting because he's brilliant to watch, but I think Jack will knock him out."

"I just feel like he's not used to taking damage," Vickers continued. "He's not used to being in tough fights with someone pushing the pace and he's been knocked out before. And Jack's got size on him... I feel vey confident going into that fight."